It is essential to be impartial when composing minutes of board meetings. This allows the minutes to serve as legal documents and confirm that meetings were conducted and that decisions were made. Having opinions strewn across the minutes can cause them to appear biased and raise suspicion from those who are involved, legal entities and even future board members. It is crucial to know what information to include and what to exclude in the minutes.
In general, the board meeting minutes should only document the actual facts and decisions made during the board meeting. They should not contain personal or subjective views for instance, the chair of the board website here hammered her desk to highlight her point. Also, it is best not to name individuals in the discussion, unless there is a motion being made. In the case of voting items the board should keep a record of who proposed and voted on the motion, as well as the number of people voting who voted in favor, against, and abstained.
You should also note any new guests or attendees. This will allow people to keep track of people who attend both in person and via remote. It’s also a good idea to list the beginning and ending times for the meeting, along with an exact date and time for the next meeting. Board members have busy schedules and having a fixed date and time to meet helps everyone stay on the same page.